A Message to Someone....

Have a great weekend

Caroline xo

Daughters, Dogs and other Ramblings

Received a sweet little text tonight from my darling daughter saying

she's glad I'm back blogging. 

In the age of Face book being so important in people lives, I'm so happy she takes the time to check in at her Mumma's "OLD" blog.

Mmm...she never comments though ;)

So of course after that, I had needed to put some darling photos up of her and her gorgeous Border Collie Stevie.

Despite 2012 being such a hard year for me this year I am endeavouring to move forward with my life. Last year my home suffered greatly & so I feel did many of my close friends & family as they supported me through what was such a difficult time in my life. 

I've always been a person who thrives in a neat and organized environment & after a year of merely just "EXISTING" in my home I think it is well in need of an overhaul. I'm bursting with excitement at some of the plans and changes I've got spinning around in my head. Just to wet my appetite a little in advance of things I have just come back from an afternoon of furniture shopping (Whoops)

Another exciting thing I plan to do is nurture and develop some new friendships I made in the past year. As you get older I found that you rarely make "new" friends and we all become creatures of habit as we tend to move around in the same circles. Have any of you found that true for you as well?
When my children were young I found I was constantly meeting new people in various ways- the school, sports and other community and social groups that I was involved with through my kids. 

With last year being what it was I felt I didn't embrace my new friends caring, kindness and friendship that they gifted upon me BUT this year I fully intend to return that favour x 10 :) 

z

Also, last year I joined a small community group in our little town that is full of like minded people. I must say I was most pleasantly surprised when I joined as in many ways I had struggled with some aspects of this town :0

You see it wasn't a place I would have ever personally have chosen to live in given, the choice that is but desperate times made for major adjustments to our life and the way we lived so when I moved here (many moons ago now) I never really expected to stay!! As a young widow at only 26  with 3 very, very young children I had to move where there was a decent job that would support us, then I met my partner and dare I say- I think it was all "written in the stars"

Anyway it was such a blessing to have found this small group that when I continually came home at night raving about it my partner decided to join, it's all the more lovelier as it something we share together now. Finding things to do as a couple becomes more and more important, I feel as the children grow up and fly the nest spreading and testing their independent wings.

I have a few new projects that my darling partner helped me start last year. His part in my journey by helping & supporting me (& selflessly putting his own feeling aside despite them being as deep as mine)was helping me find new hobbies to learn, explore & enjoy. 
I hope to be able to share a few of those in time here, at my blog. 

So, I hope you all will continue to join me in my journey throughout the year as I regain(hopefully) my strength after 2012 the year that was!! 
Thank you to those few kind bloggies that sent me awesome messages/emails & to my faithful followers.It was encouraging to see in my absence I didn't lose any of you and that I fact in gained some newbies :)

Enough rambling, hope you all have a lovely Sunday, cheerfully spending quality time with those that you hold dear.

Caroline xo


  

For today....

R.I.P

Pikelet  Amadeus 

2004 -2012

It's important to....

Watch a sunrise at least once a year

H.Jackson Brown

Sorry about being absent so much.....

but this is how it is atm....

thank goodness for these.....

It's a rough time but everything ALWAYS works out in the end.

On a lovelier note my darling youngest son is partnering a young lady in our local show ball. At the moment they are learning several dances along with etiquette. Not bad for a young man with Aspergers. I am so so proud of him (as I am of all my kids) but over the years this boy has continued to surprise & astonish us with his way.

I'm so excited for the night of the ball!!

Hope you all take care in my extended absences....

Caroline xo

They've started.....

Schools holiday's have begun at our house

so this is what I will be letting my boy do come tomorrow morning.

He's just at the age he needs no encouragement to have a sleep in.

The age of hollow legged boys, tired in the morning but can stay awake all night type of boys.

With just a little but enough back answering to let you know

they have spirit :-)

He's my youngest.... gee I'm going to miss this when it's gone.

Caroline xo

A Neglectful Blogger, Sydney & a Grandbaby

Haven't I been a neglectful blogger of late. Thank you to the people that still follow, check in & send me an email to see I haven't dropped off the earth -I haven't lol!

but wow! where do I start...

First & foremost next year my first Grand-baby will be born. (I posted about my son's wedding back in July)

As you know my son is a soldier & therefore will not be here for most of the pregnancy nor the birth. Which is so sad & very hard on both of them, fortunately though DIL has been through it all before (DIL has a child to a previous relationship) & hopefully this will make it a little less stressful & scary for her. You can only wish, hope & pray for the very best as unfortunately we have been told that nobody will be holding the baby after it's born, and our friends have now said they will just wait till my son gets back to see the baby & Dil.

However my Granny-who will be the babes GREAT GREAT GRANNY is pretty upset cause as she says herself at 88 "I'm on borrowed time" Anyways I am sure it will all work out & they will both be the best of parents.

How big the contrast is to my friend that is due around the same time & has asked several of us to help her so she can at least have some time with her other kids and an undisturbed toilet or shower(I think we all remember what that's like)

We have had these little control issues come up in the past and we are hoping with maturity & a feeling of security for her & her daughter they will disperse. They really put a dampener on things. We have also been told we are to come & leave at a certain time on Christmas Day. To us this is not what Christmas Day is all about so we will probably stay at home where friends/family can come & go as & when they please -it's really not the day to rush! While we are all sympathetic to these issues our family has decided it is still best to stick to our principles & the interests of all family & not to the wishes of one.

A few weeks ago I went to Sydney to Equitana. (a national horse event) I took a friend that had never visited Sydney before so after Equitana we had a lovely few days doing the tourist thing.

Lane has now finished school for the year. (only two more years to go) & is getting some work with a Baker, we all have our fingers crossed that in time it may lead to an

apprenticeship as he would love to be a pastry chef. The school has given me a contact to an organisation that negotiates with employers about employing kids with disabilities so hopefully that will work in our favour as well.

Yesterday I spent the whole day 5am to 6.30pm at The Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane. My neighbours baby had an operation and she had no one to go with her to support her. How terrible it would be to have to sit there by yourself for hours while your little baby was in theatre, anyway the operation went well & I hope I was of a little assistance in taking her mind off things. Yesterday I felt so thankful for my children & was reminded of how impossibly hard it was after their father died doing it all myself. I am forever thankful for good friends & hope I am somehow returning the favour done for me.

Emerald started a new job and now within 3 wks she has been made a supervisor. This has given her a lovely self esteem boost as she wasn't being treated very well in her last job & ended up being hurt as they didn't provide the necessary protective equipment for her to use. The new boss seems to be so much more understanding of her Uni hours & that it must always be her first priority. Emerald has now finished the first year of her nursing degree and is very excited about becoming a second year student.

Anyway I must be off only 25dys till Christmas and this is the most disorganised I have been in as long as I can remember.

Take Care

Caroline xoxo

A Prayer for Soldiers

We Said A Little Prayer Today

We said a little prayer today

A Prayer for mates who died

And no one here's ashamed to say

There's been some tears we've cried

For good mates full of zest for life

Cut down while in their prime

Amid the war's furore and strife

Now gone before their time

We said a little prayer today

For all their families

And asking Lord for strength that they

Can bear their sadness please!

For parents who have lost a son

And kids who lost their Dad

And wives who've lost beloved ones

So tragic Lord, so sad.

We said a little prayer today

For strength and courage for

The mates And colleagues who must stay

Away to fight this war

We're sure they're sad to lose their friends

So help them bear the strain

That when one day this fighting ends

This cost won't be in vain

We said a little prayer today

For those who sacrifice

Their lives in service in the fray

To pay our freedom's price

O help us God to realise

As tears flow for the lost

Our peace and freedom is the prize

That's won at such a cost

- Padre Jim Cosgrove

Results are in

We have just got Emerald's results back from her Sleep Study.

It seems she has Severe Sleep Apnoea, so severe in fact that at times during the testing she stopped breathing in her sleep, at some stages up to 6 times in a 5min period as well as having 3 Hypoapnoea's (very shallow breaths)

More than 1 episode every minute. No wonder she is becoming such a tired/sick girl.

They are saying it is quite rare in a child this age , hence I suppose their reluctance to even give her a sleep study in the first place. I am so glad I kept pushing for this even though her other blood/urine tests were clear.

They say she is a most unusual case as-

She is only 17

She has always been medically healthy

Is very fit & athletic

Has a perfect weight/height ratio-BMI

So now we are off to see a round of specialists the first being tomorrow. Thank goodness they have fast tracked everything (owing to the severity of her apnoea) otherwise with Christmas only next week we wouldn't be able to see anyone till at least mid to late January. We are hoping for the best case scenario that an operation will fix it. We are all praying that she will not need to have a machine to sleep on at night, that would be such a terrible thing for a young girl to have to do specially at an age when they have so many sleep overs with friends and maybe in the not to distant future, a relationship. I was a little frustrated while seeing her GP as I would have liked to have seen the full results of her study. I was craning my neck to read his computer screen, but we were at just the wrong angle.LOL! I hope I can learn more about things tomorrow.

A note to all mothers out there, please believe in your own motherly intuition/instinct regarding your children even if you have to push your way there & never hesitate about getting a second opinion. If I hadn't have kept pushing we still wouldn't have any answers.

Wish us luck

Caroline xoxo

A Sleep Study

Please think of

my darling daughter Emerald

Whose health has been deteriorating for a while now, more rapidly as the year has progressed. It has been increasingly difficult with her having to complete her Senior studies & a Trainee ship she has had through her part-time job.

We have finally found a doctor that was willing to refer her for a sleep study, this is something that I have wanted for a while but most doctors are reluctant to send young people for them.

It is just NOT normal, some days if I was to leave her she would sleep 16-18hrs. She is finding it harder & harder to concentrate & retain memory of the things she is doing. Not good, for a normally high achieving student.

The photos are of Em getting "wired up" ready for her sleep study. These are only about 1/3 of the wires that she ended up having to wear. She also had them on her body & legs.

Her sleep study was done just before we went on holidays

so we are anxiously awaiting her results.

Be back soon to let you know how it all goes, otherwise, back to the drawing board!!

Caroline xoxo

Maybe, a little prayer -if that is what you do. Thank you.

Harper Valley P.T.A. -Yippee School's Out

With Emerald having had her Valedictory ceremony last night I thought we would go out with a bang this morning with this song.

WHY?? because Emerald says the song reminds her of me, well what can I say!

That's a worry isn't it, Mmm! Em can we just settle for the "Same but Different"

I may have been just a little outspoken at SOME P&C meetings and have had to have the "Office Vultures" under control over MANY things & a lot of my friends & family know that when you have a child with a disability(my youngest) you have to stick up & fight for their rights every step of their school years (now that's a hard one that shouldn't have to be) but I've never had to complain over the things Jeannie C. Riley had to in this song. LOL!! Thank Goodness.

Of course, along with a lot of people think that Jeannie C. Riley is the only person that has ever been able to sing this song well. An oldie but a goodie!

Have a great weekend

Caroline xoxo

Oh Dear a bit of 50's Goodness!

Aren't these just the cutest little 50's paper napkins one ever did see??

Gotta luv them!!

with "wicked wicked" sayings & all.

NOW it's over to you ladies to "TALK" in my comments section.

Caroline xoxoo

SOLDIER BOY IS HOME.....

And we are all VERY happy to have him home safe.

(Jumping over the moon in fact)

So now I hope I've finally got around to you all & everybody can stop texting, ringing

& emailing -asking when??

Don't get me wrong ...we love your care & concern.

We also love the fact he's always been every body's son

& always had so many "Mummy's looking out for him.

(Poor guy!! LOL)

I know alot of you are concerned for him at the moment,don't be he's a man now & can well, make his own choices-if you have any other views on that pleeesse take them up with him not me.....cause I get in trouble for it LOL!!

I've done my job, and I am so proud of him

WELCOME HOME SON!!

On the other hand though, spent a delightful (read NOT!!) night in the Hospital Emergency Dept. after youngest son went to an Army Cadet camp and was injured. He's on the mend now but geez...hope he doesn't make a habit of visiting this place like his big bro did during his teenage years.

Love to you all & have a good weekend

Carolinexoxo

PS- I am so behind with blogging. So many things to share before I go on hol's be back to show you Emerald's Formal photo's soon.

WRONG SIDE OF THE WORLD

Australian Country music star Beccy Cole wrote POSTER GIRL (wrong side of the world) as a response to a letter she received from a fan after she spent 2wks visiting Australian Soldiers overseas.

The fan wrote that he would be taking her poster off his wall and would not be listening to her music anymore.

Beccy was quoted as saying "That when I met the troops I become patriotic and really proud. I met young, enthusiastic Australians that just want to keep terrorism from reaching our home shores so that Australians can keep the life of peace & freedom"

She also says she did not know what her stance was until she went over there. People are quick to judge these situations without knowing fully what it's all about. Prior to that she said she would have said she was staunchly anti -war -but then again aren't we all

Please take the time to listen & have a great day

Caroline xoxoxo

I BELIEVE IN .........

all living species living together in harmony

(yes even black cats & ultra cute Guinea pigs)

It's a bleak cold rainy day here, good day for the veggie patch though & for snuggling up with some "Soul Food"

Caroline xoxoxo

Buy, Buy American Pie

Very funny, but also very scary as it's all to true.

What do you think???

Please leave me a comment with your views..........

Caroline.............

CHANGE!!

Things our changing very much around here at the moment.

AND I can't wait!!

Not because I think every change will be wonderful.....

though I am sure most will be.

There will be some I want to blog about & some I will probably choose not to,

but I reckon that will be okay too.

Life is just this amazing journey & a wondrous beautiful way of growing into the person you really aspire to be.

AND I've been thinking the only thing holding you back is your own fears and beliefs.

CAROLINE xoxo